On the first Saturday of the month, Jack Moore and I host Discoveries from the Fleisher Collection on WRTI 90.1 FM in Philadelphia and on the all-classical webstream at wrti.org. We also broadcast encore presentations of the entire Discoveries series (now eight years and counting!) every Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. on WRTI HD-2. For a look at all the shows, click here. Read on for a sneak peek about this month's episode!

Saturday, April 3rd, 2010, 5:00-6:00 p.m.

Hugo Alfvén. (1872-1960). “Shepherd Girl’s Dance” from Bergakungen (The Mountain King) (1923)

Alfvén. Symphony No. 4 (1918)

Composers write music about love all the time. Hugo Alfvén—urbane, well-trained, and rising in all the right circles—began one such piece as a young man in his twenties. It so overwhelmed him, however, that 20 years later it had mutated into a craggy three-quarter-hour symphony of four movements played without break, a luxuriant, ardent, and stunning wordless tale of such power that some critics thought it too suggestive for public performance....
[more details here]

Tags: Fleisher Collection

MYTH: I can’t afford to go to college.
FACT: College can be an affordable option.

With the rising price tags on colleges and universities, it’s easy to believe that higher education is impossible to attain. Fortunately, it is not only possible to get a college degree, but it can be affordable too! Of course, it’s a good idea to apply for as many scholarships as possible (look out for an upcoming blog on scholarships!), but schools also offer financial aid packages for eligible students. This means that the “list price” of any school may be a lot higher than what you will be expected to pay! So, before you dismiss the idea of going to college, apply for financial aid at schools you would like to attend. Once you get your financial aid packages from the schools you were accepted to, compare them and see which school is actually the cheapest. You may be surprised to find out that you only have to pay a fraction of the original cost!

Every school expects you to fill out different paperwork to apply for financial aid. But, there are a few things that most (if not all) schools require:

• FAFSA: The Free Application for Federal Student Aid: You must fill out the FAFSA every year (including the year you are applying to colleges) to receive financial aid from your college or university. You must complete the free online application. Be mindful of the deadline! The earlier you complete the FAFSA and the other forms required from your school, the more money you will probably get. Click here to get started on the FAFSA and learn more about it:
• CSS/PROFILE: Some schools require that you fill out the CSS/PROFILE as well. Unfortunately, you do have to pay a fee to complete this application. You also must have a collegeboard.com account, which is not only free, but also required to register for the SAT. Click here for more information.

To learn more about financial aid, the different packages offered by public and private schools, and for FREE help filling out the FAFSA, met with a College Student Coach this Saturday!* Also, take advantage of the following events and resources:

• FAFSA Completion Workshops: The Office of High School Reform and PHEAA are offering FAFSA completion assistance in various local schools throughout the city. Click here for details.
• Free Tax and FAFSA Completion: The Campaign for Working Families is offering free tax and FAFSA completions. For more information, call 311 or visit phillyfreetaxes.org.

*College Student Coaches are available to assist you workshops every Saturday at the following Free Library locations: Lucien E. Blackwell West Philadelphia Regional Library, Parkway Central Library, Joseph E. Coleman Northwest Regional Library, Northeast Regional Library, and the Widener Branch. For more details, please email collegeprep@freelibrary.org or call 215-686-5372 on weekdays between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.

Tell Us: Does the cost of a college or university deter you from applying? Why or why not?
 

Tags: College Prep

Last year, a pair of red-tailed hawks made a nest on a window ledge at the Franklin Institute, just across from the Parkway Central Library in Logan Circle. With the help of a webcam, visitors to the Institute’s website were able to get an amazing close-up view of these hawks’ lives last spring, as they finished building their nest, laid three eggs, and eventually raised three healthy young hawks. Red-tailed hawks mate for life and will often reuse the same nesting site each year. This pair returned to the Franklin Institute in January 2010 to get their nest back into shape, and webcam watchers reported the appearance of the first egg on March 13.  By March 19, there were three eggs in the nest

If you use the Parkway Central Library frequently, or if you’re planning on making a visit this spring, keep your eyes on the skies—you just might get to see one of the hawks in person! This morning, one member of the pair was perched on a ledge behind the Library building just as staff members were coming in to start their workday. We’re looking forward to seeing them hang around Logan Circle, hunting for pigeons and squirrels, and coaching their hatchlings on their first flights later this spring.

If you're not able to come see the hawks in person, you can get a close-up view of all the action in the nest by visiting the Franklin Institute's webcam at www2.fi.edu/hawks.  The Hawkwatch blog has plenty of great photographs of the pair, accompanied by interesting hawk facts and information about last year's nest.

Want to read more about spotting red-tailed hawks or other local birds?  Here are some recommended titles from our collection:

Red-Tails in Love: A Wildlife Drama in Central Park, by Marie Winn, is the story of Pale Male and his mate, the famous red-tailed hawks who nested on a ledge overlooking New York City's Central Park.  Philadelphia's hawks might end up this popular, too.

Birds of Pennsylvania, by Stan Tekiela

Birder's Guide to Pennsylvania, by Paula Ford

How to Spot Hawks and Eagles, by Clay Sutton and Patricia Taylor Sutton

The National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Birds - Eastern Region, by John L. Bull

Peterson Field Guide to Birds of North America, by Roger Tory Peterson

Tags: Parkway Central

Happy St. Patrick’s Day! In honor of the all-things-Irish holiday, we are thrilled to announce that later this Spring, our very own President and Director Siobhan A. Reardon will be honored as one of 11 inspirational Irish women by the Society of Commodore John Barry (the Irish Center) and the Irish Immigration Center of Greater Philadelphia. The Inspirational Irish Women Award recognizes women of Irish descent in the Delaware Valley who have distinguished themselves in the areas of public and community services, business, charity, philanthropy and the arts.

In celebration of the award, the Irish Center and the Irish Immigration Center have commissioned artist Patrick Gallagher to create a series of portraits of inspirational Irish and Irish-American women from our region. The portraits will be unveiled on May 23 during a reception at the Irish Center and will remain on display in the Commodore Barry Room for several months. Congratulations to Siobhan and the rest of the women being honored!

And in the spirit of St. Patty’s Day, let’s talk about books by the Irish and Irish-Americans. Do you have any favorites? Last year, we mourned the death of one of the most well-known modern Irish-American authors, Frank McCourt. Listen here for podcasts from his visits to the Free Library for 'Tis and Teacher Man.
 

I love watching the Oscars. I enjoy the pre-show glitz of the red carpet and listening to the opening monologue of the host - not to mention the excitement of who will win!

This year there are 10 films nominated for Best Picture. Unfortunately I didn’t get to see them all, but I decided to see what I could dig up in our catalog associated with these films.

All links below will take you to items in our catalog which you can borrow or place a hold. You are allowed to borrow 5 DVD/Videocassettes at a time (for more information view Borrowing Limits & Loan Periods).

Avatar - James Cameron and Jon Landau
Director James Cameron already has 3 Oscars under his belt for his 1997 film Titanic.

The Blind Side - Gil Netter, Andrew A. Kosove, and Broderick Johnson
This film is based off the 2007 book The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game by Michael Lewis. 

District 9 - Peter Jackson and Carolynne Cunningham
Director Peter Jackson won 3 Oscars for his 2003 film The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, not to mention the other two films in the popular movie trilogy, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001) and The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002). Mr. Jackson receieved his first Oscar nomination for Best Writing in 1995 for Heavenly Creatures.

An Education - Finola Dwyer and Amanda Posey
This film is based on the autobiography, An Education (a memoir) by Lynn Barber. The screenplay was written by novelist Nick Hornby. Mr. Hornby has had several of his books turned into films, such as Fever Pitch, High Fidelity, About a Boy and the films rights to his 2005 novel A Long Way Down were recently purchased.

The Hurt Locker - Kathryn Bigelow, Mark Boal, Nicolas Chartier, and Greg Shapiro
This film was written by journalist Mark Boal, who also wrote the Playboy article which the 2008 film In the Valley of Elah was based.

Inglourious Basterds - Lawrence Bender
This film was written and directed by Quentin Tarantnio who previously won an Oscar the Best Screenplay for Pulp Fiction. 

Precious - Lee Daniels, Sarah Siegel-Magness, and Gary Magness
Percious was based on the novel Push by Sapphire. Sapphire will be at the Free Library Festival April 18th! 

A Serious Man - Joel Coen and Ethan Coen
This film was written, produced and directed by the Coen Brothers, who have been nominated for 10 Oscars. You can find some of their films in our catalog, such as: A Serious Man, Barton Fink, Fargo, and No Country for Old Men.

Up - Jonas Rivera
This film was produced by Pixar Animation Studios, which has earned 22 Oscars for various films. You can find some of their films in our catalog such as: WALL-E, Ratatouille, The Incredibles, Finding Nemo and Monsters, Inc.

Up in the Air - Daniel Dubiecki, Ivan Reitman, and Jason Reitman
The film was adapted from the novel Up in the Air by Walter Kirn. 

 So who do you think will win the Oscar for Best Picture this year?

Tags: Reviews